The Return to Office
A post-Covid new-normal future-proof workplace guide
Whether your organization moves forward with a hybrid model or requires employees to work in office full time, Cubicall can help ensure your workplace meets their needs to ensure productivity and overcome health concerns.
Below we’ll take a look at the leading research, what your workforce expects and how Cubicall can help create an efficient and dynamic workplace for the “new normal.”
Let’s get started…
94% are ready to return
open the office
After working from home for nearly a year, one thing is certain: employees want to get back into the office. In fact, 94% of employees are ready to return to the workplace1.
How often they want to work in office is a bit less clear, but, flexibility is expected. In Envoy’s post-Covid research study conducted at the end of 2020, they found only 6% prefer to work from home full time, while 54% prefer a hybrid model1.
workplace health is a real concern
Although they may be ready to return, employees want to be assured employers are mitigating risks. The majority of workers (73%) are concerned about going into a physical workplace— and the biggest worry is coming into contact with someone who is sick.
Worrisome for managers is that 75% of employees would consider leaving their jobs if employers don’t mitigate their concerns 1.
73%
are concerned about their physical workplace
Employee’s top 5 concerns:
- Not knowing if someone sick comes into the workplace
- Too many people in the workplace at once
- Lack of proper ventilation
- Inadequate or infrequent cleaning
- Slow or no effort to isolate sick employees
Envoy, 2020
Workplace health shouldn’t just be a concern for employees— but for companies as well. Not only does office hygiene result in tens of billions of dollars in lost productivity every year, the 2020 pandemic brings new concerns regarding employer liability.
how cubicall addresses workplace health concerns
⚠ testing, isolation, ventilation
EXAM PODS
Cubicall’s Exam Pods are a safe and efficient way to test on site and isolate positive employees. The modular pods feature negative pressure HEPA filtration which allow the pods to safely exhaust within a larger room and can later be converted into Meeting Rooms.
⚠ cleaning, disinfection, ventilation
UV-C INTEGRATION
Cubicall seamlessly integrates automated UVC lights for hassle-free disinfection, inactivating pathogens and viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. The integrated UVC lights disinfects air and surfaces.
⚠ limiting airborne contact & noise
BARRIERS & DIVIDERS
Barriers and dividers are recommended by the CDC to limit airborne contact. They are also a great way to limit noise distractions. And they don’t have to be ugly. Cubicall’s custom solutions are a great way to enhance the aesthetic of your workplace.
⚠ cleaning, disinfection
EASY CLEANING
Cubicall utilizes premium materials that make it easy to clean and sanitize. Surfaces within Cubicall products are compatible with various disinfectant solutions as recommended by the CDC.
⚠ scheduling, contact tracing
Room Management
Manage movement within the office by efficiently scheduling via email, app, or directly on the booth/room itself. The system also can be used to perform contact tracing should the need arise.
⚠ limiting airborne contact & noise
Custom Workspace
Isolate individual workspaces to deliver an acoustically sound experience for privacy and help limit airborne contact. This workspace system can be built within ready floor plans and around current furniture.
redefine your workplace, reassure your workforce
Employees want to get back into the office— but they expect to do so safely. And the onus is on the employer to mitigate the risks to keep their workforce assured and engaged. Fortunately, Cubicall offers a variety of efficient and flexible solutions that won’t break the bank and can move with the changes.
But if you’re thinking we’ll be headed back to old-school cubicles and private offices, you must read on…
don’t put up the walls
To keep your workforce engaged, it’s important to understand why employees want get back into the office. Research shows it really comes down to one thing: human interaction. Employees miss camaraderie and in-person collaboration.
According to a study conducted by Gensler at the end of 2020 2, the top four reasons why employees want to get back into the office are:
ready for hot-desk environment (all)
young professionals ready for hot-desk environment
Simply reverting to the antiquated days of private offices isn’t the answer. 74% of employees miss in-person interaction2. They want human connection, and studies have shown open & dynamic office plans satisfies this need the best. In fact, 67% of employees are ready for a hot-desk environment to benefit from a broader diversity of office environment3.
As JLL points out from their study at the end of 2020 3, offices have to be more dynamic than ever— with the top two spaces requested by employees to boost experience being:
Top Spaces To Boost Experience
- Socialization spaces: Open areas to communicate and interact
- Spaces for dedicated focus work: Phone booths & focus rooms
”If tomorrow’s offices are to become social hubs, they will also have to accommodate hybrid working patterns and remote collaboration through offering private spaces and technologies to support meetings with colleagues who are working remotely.
JLLReimagining Human Experience, 2020
So don’t draw up those plans to start building permanent walls. The office of the future must be a social hub ready to accommodate hybrid working patterns.
Many of the largest organizations are leading the way by “dispersing” their headquarters and adopting satellite and/or co-working offices. Consequently, leases are evolving and becoming shorter.
Permanent build outs are not only costly in the short-term, often requiring permits and longer leases, but they may not meet workplace requirements as the office continues to evolve. Cubicall’s prefabricated, modular solutions ensure the workplace environment meets the needs of both employees and employers— now and in the future.
how cubicall balances socialization & privacy
Phone Booth
As the #2 most requested feature by employees, the Phone Booth is an office essential for privacy & focus requirements. The modular phone booth is a flexible and cost-effective solution for private communication, heads-down work, and virtual meetings.
STUDY
Keeping an office environment dynamic and flexible is easy with Cubicall’s modular privacy pods. Sometimes extended focus is required and Cubicall’s prefabricated Study is the perfect solution. The office-within-an-office helps meet those can’t-miss deadlines.
MEETING ROOM
Conference rooms can waste valuable floor space. 76% of the time they’re occupied by 4 or fewer persons4. Furthermore, 34% of employees no longer want large in-person meetings3. Keep 1-on-1 discussions private and give teams space while making the most of your floor plan.
ALCOVE
Open socialization spaces can still offer employees an escape from unwanted noise distractions while limiting airborne contact. The Alcove is a perfect addition within lounges or lunchrooms for casual conversations and breaks.
Partitions & Dividers
Barriers and dividers are ideal for keeping floor plans open while reducing noise and limiting airborne contact. Cubicall’s custom solutions are also a great way to add to the aesthetic of your workplace by visually breaking up open layouts.
ROOM MANAGEMENT
Privacy spaces become one of the most sought after features in offices. Ensure your team can reserve focus time when they need it most. Joan is the leading room management system to keep your office productive and employees happy.
Employees want creative and collaborative environments that promote community atmosphere. But they also expect outlets for focus and privacy.
While employers may struggle juggling socialization with privacy and in-person collaboration with health safety, optimizing the workplace for the new normal can actually decrease overhead and increase productivity— if planned correctly.
putting it all together with cubicall
Employees are ready to go back in the office, but only if their employers are ready as well.
The office of the future will remain open and dynamic. Privacy and workplace health must be top priorities. As the workforce becomes more fluid, the workplace must be flexible. Working models may change and offices will have to adapt to retain top talent and remain productive.
Employees prefer to be in an office— as long as they can: socialize & collaborate; utilize in-office spaces for focus & privacy; and do it all safely.
Cubicall’s custom and modular office solutions check all the boxes here. To recap, Cubicall solutions covered in this guide included:
Exam Pods: for testing & isolation
UV-C Integration: for hassle-free disinfection
Phone Booth & Study: for individual focus & privacy spaces
Meeting Rooms: to foster collaboration & growth more efficiently
Custom Barriers & Dividers: to limit airborne contact & noise distractions
Room Management System: to efficiently manage movement & contact tracing
If you’re ready to get started on a project, Cubicall offers complimentary renders and floor plan layouts. To speak with a representative and transform your workplace, fill out the form below.
in good company
as seen in
Cubicall’s Return to Office guide sources:
1Envoy, 2020. How to make employees feel safe at work during COVID-19.
2Gensler, 2020. U.S. Work From Home Survey, 2020.
3JLL, 2020. Human Experience Report.
4Density.io, 2019. Workplace Utilization Index.
